Taking a UK profile into a new market

I helped take an established UK profile into a new market, using strategic relationships and commercial partnerships to create the visibility, credibility and opportunities needed to establish Steven in the UAE.

The challenge

Steven Bartlett had built a strong and growing personal brand in the UK, but the UAE was a new market. The opportunity wasn't simply to secure exposure — it was to establish him as a credible and relevant voice within the region.

The challenge was to build the right relationships around his profile, creating opportunities that could introduce him to influential audiences while giving the market a reason to take notice.

That meant looking beyond traditional media and identifying the right mix of speaking, partnerships, events and introductions to accelerate his presence in the region.

Building the partnership strategy

I used my network across the UAE to identify and open doors to the people, organisations and platforms that could help establish Steven in the market.

A key opportunity came through LEAP, where we secured Steven as a keynote speaker at the global technology event, putting him in front of a highly relevant business and technology audience.

We also worked with UAE media partners and sponsors to create An Evening With Steven Bartlett at Dubai Opera — developing a more substantial platform around his profile rather than relying on one-off appearances.

Making relationships commercially viable

The exposure created by these opportunities became a springboard for further partnerships and media activity.

Following the Dubai Opera event, we secured an exclusive partnership with Emirates Man, including a front cover, interview and podcast — extending Steven's visibility beyond the event itself and into a relevant regional audience.

The work also created introductions into senior business and government networks, helping Steven build relationships that continued beyond the initial campaign and opened the door to further paid speaking opportunities.